Suction device



April 1937. J. H. TANNER ET AL 2,077,024

SUCTION DEVICE Filed Sept. 11, 1935 5 6 M P E 0 24 M Z 2 5 35 J 7 fi Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,077,024 SUCTION DEVICE James Harmon Tanner, Kirribilli, near Sydney, and William Francis Tanner, Fivedock, near Sydney, Australia Application September 11, 1935 Serial No. 40,098 In Australia September 12, 1934 1 Claim.

or suction, in a more efficient manner than heretofore and, by virtue of its increased efficiency, to operations wherein existing apparatus of similar type is unsatisfactory. Further objects are-to dispose of the effluent in a more satisfactory manner than heretofore achieved, and to provide means rendering the device readily adaptable to varying conditions of use. The device is particularly useful in dental operations for ejecting fluid, such as blood and saliva, from the mouth of the patient, or for ejecting blood, pus, and the like from wounds or incisions during surgical operations. However, the invention is by no means limited in its application to such uses and it will be obvious that it may be utilized for the purposes of suction apparatus in general as, for example, in drawing fluids from. a container, or chamber, or in creating a certain degree of vacuum in a container, or chamber, and so forth.

Hitherto, apparatus of the type referred to has not proved satisfactory for the ejection of blood and the like from wounds and for many other purposes since a sufficient degree of suction could not be obtained thereby. The present invention contemplates the provision of a device which is simple, inexpensive, readily portable and capable of being used in a confined space, by means of which the necessary vacuum may be created for the purposes herein specified and by means of which fluid, or the like, drawn through the device, may be readily and cleanly disposed of.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates a satisfactory form of the invention- Figure 1 is a side view of the device, r Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the tubular member, referred to hereinafter,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the tubular member along the line A-A of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a plan view of the suction device, Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the discharge chamber viewed from the discharging side thereof,

Figure '6 is a longitudinal section through the discharge chamber along the line B-B of Fig- 55 ure 5, and

Figure 7 is a plan view of the discharge chamber.

The apparatus consists of a suitable inlet device III, which conducts fluid,.such as water, into the tubular member II, and ejects it through a tube, or the like I2, terminating in' a discharge device I3, of particular construction. The chamber I3 is not essential to the improved suction effect, but ensures a satisfactory disposal of the 1 discharge.

The tubular member II consists of a conical shaped inlet I4 converging at its downward end. The conical inlet I4 leads into a conical shaped outlet I5, which converges at its upper end. As will be seen from Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing, the bore of the flared outlet I5 is greater than that of the flared inlet I4 at their point of junction. Fluid, passing through the tubular member II, flows past the orifice I5, of a suction tube I i, said orifice I6 being located in the outlet portion I5 of the tubular member II. The conical sections of the inlet I4 and outlet I5 are such, and the orifice Iii is so located, that fluid passing through the tubular member II impinges upon the side I5a of the outlet I5 at a position below the orifice I6. In this way a partial vacuum is created across the suction, orifice I6 and an enhanced suction effect is obtained. It has been found that by reducing the bore, or taper, of the outlet I5 in relation to that of the inlet I4 an improved suction effect is achieved and that this increases directly in relation to the diminution in bore, or taper, of the outlet I5. The suction tube Il may be produced, or fitted with an extension tube, which may be rigid or flexible, for the purpose of conducting it to the desired location.

The tube I2, which may be rigid or flexible, and may be composed of a flexible metal which allows it to be bent to any desired shape that convenience may direct, terminates in a discharge chamber I3 which is slotted, as shown at I8. These slots are not limited in number and may be positioned elsewhere in the chamber I8, as at the foot thereof. The slots I8 show an approved method of allowing fluid egress from the chamber I3 and may be positioned longitudinally, or other suitable means of breaking the stream of fluid passing from the chamber I3 may be employed. Within the chamber I3 is situated a post or pedestal I9, which functions to scatter the stream of fluid passing from the tube I2. The chamber I3 may be furnished with a detachable bottom plate for the purpose of ready cleaning. The discharge chamber 1s fashioned, as described, for the purpose of breaking the flow of fluid through the device, preventing the splashing of such fluid, and readily ejecting it from the device.

In operation the inlet III of the device is attached, by suitable means, to source of fluid or gas supply and incoming fluid or gas, passing through the tubular member H creates a reduction of pressure across the orifice I6 of the tube l'l causing a suction to take place therein.

The discharge passes through the tube l2, impinges upon the pedestal l9 and runs to waste Without unnecessary splashing through outlets Hi. In the application of the device to dental purposes the inlet l0 may be attached to any conveniently disposed water tap, such as a tap placed over a wash basin, so that the device may rest in the wash basin. By making the tube l2 of flexible material it can be twisted to fit 2O conveniently into any wash basin of usual construction. Suitable attaching means, of known type, are provided so that the device may be attached to any tap of usual design. Such attaching means are well known and will not be described herein since they do not form part of the present invention. The tube I1 is attached to a saliva ejector which is placed in the mouth of the patient for the ejection of saliva, blood, pus, and the like. When water flows through the 3 device ejected matter from the mouth of the patient is drawn through the tube I! into the pipe l2 and runs to waste with water from the inlet l0 through the outlets !8. The construction of the housing I3 is such that splashing, which is both unsatisfactory and insanitary, is considerably minimized.

Although the device has been described with particular reference to its use in dental operations, it will be obvious that its scope is not so limited and numerous other applications of the device will be readily apparent.

Having thus described and ascertained our said invention and the manner in which it is to be performed we declare that what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

An aspirator having a water inlet and a water outlet, a tubular, member between the inlet and the outlet comprising an inlet section and an outlet section, said inlet section being flared inwardly and downwardly and said outlet section being flared outwardly and downwardly, the taper of said flared inlet section being greater than the taper of the outlet section, the relative tapers of the two sections causing a fluid passing from said inlet section to said outlet section to impinge upon said outlet section, the bore of the outlet section being greater than the bore of the inlet section at the junction of said sections, said junction being free from obstructions which will deflect the flow of the fluid passing therethrough, and an air inlet in said outlet section positioned above that portion upon which a fluid passing from the inlet section to the outlet section Will impinge.

JAMES HARMON TANNER. WILLIAM FRANCIS TANNER. 

